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This is an exercise in encouragement. Faced with doing something new, we often forget we have successfully done many “somethings” old. Take pen in hand and list 10 things you have learned to do despite your doubt they could be mastered.

– Julia Cameron

As you all know that we are recording our new Theme Song. I have done some crazy things but singing has been the craziest. The truth is I can’t sing at all! but that did not stop me, I was excited about recording our theme song. I believe that having my chicks there supporting and encouraging me, and having our music muse there making me sound decent gave me the courage to do it and enjoy it.

Here is my list of 10 things I have leaned to do despite my doubts.

1. Run a Triathlon – Who though at 40ish something I could love this sport.
2. Buddha Center to learn how to meditate– I learned to quite my mind which was impossible for me, and has helped me deal with hard situations.
3. Accounting – WOW! Never went to school for this and it has come naturally to me even though I really don’t enjoy it.
4. Writing – I’m not a very good writer. But blogging has forced me to at least give it a try.
5. Videography – Even though I’m still learning. I really enjoy capturing great moments on video. And without it I would not be able to video blog the chicks.
6. Going back to school – This is big. I have been debating this for many years and questioning myself if I could go back and have the patience to do this. Well I could say now that I’m doing great and enjoying every minute of it.
7. Reiki Practitioner – Took Level 1 and Level 2 classes and has really helped me.
8. Public Speaking – Ohhhhh! How I hate to speak in public. But at my 5K Mercado Run I was forced to give a speech. OK, it was not that bad and I wasn’t really forced. I did have some blocking moments in which I had to close my eyes when announcing the charity organization to the group, in which was the most important part of course.
9. Breast Feeding – Never though I could do this and was the best experience of my life.
10. Driving Stick Shift – I needed a car when going to college and someone was selling their Jeep for a good price. I didn’t want to say that I couldn’t drive a Stick Shift, because I wanted the car so bad. I learned on the way home from work with a friend telling me what to do. I almost gave her a heart attack.

Call it a ‘wish list’. Call it a ‘bucket list’. You have one, don’t you? If not on paper, then at least in your head? I have one, or many actually, in various forms. I’ve created them at a number of times over the past couple years that the Chicks and I have been working through Julia Cameron’s books.

I wasn’t thinking about those lists yesterday, though, when I met with the Chicks to record our theme song. I was too nervous!

All that was going on in my head was: I’m not a singer! What are people going to think? Why did I agree to this?

I almost pulled out. But I didn’t. Instead, I came, I sang, I conquered. My fear, that is. What a great feeling!

Thanks to Tracey for so many things, from writing the song to arranging our recording session to serving us lunch to reminding me that singing for an audience was on my wish list. It made me realize how many things on my wish list I have ‘granted’ myself in the past year, from singing ‘in public’ to taking a photography class to joining a writing group to finishing a novel (with Vivi). It’s so empowering. With this kind of momentum, who knows what’s next?